Food environment solutions for childhood obesity in Latin America and among Latinos living in the United States.

The food environment is a major contributor to unhealthy diets in children and, therefore, to the increasing rates of obesity. Acclaimed by scholars across the world, Latin American countries have been leaders in implementing policies that target different aspects of the food environment. Evidence on the nature and to what extent children are exposed and respond to unhealthy food environments in the region and among Latinos in the United States is, however, deficient.

Body weight misperception and psychological distress among young South Korean adults: the role of physical activity.

Background: Emerging evidence suggests that body weight misperception may be associated with psychological distress among people in developed countries. Participating in physical activity (PA) may negate the association between weight misperception and psychological distress given the well-known benefits of PA on psychological health. This study examined the role of PA in associations between body weight misperception and psychological distress among young South Korean adults.

Timing of Spermarche and Menarche are Associated with Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Among Korean Adolescents.

Objectives: This study examined the timing of menarche and spermarche and their associations with physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) after controlling for body mass index (BMI).

Methods: Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine whether the timing of menarche in girls and spermarche in boys is associated with PA and SB independent of BMI in a nationally representative sample of Korean adolescents (13-18 years; N = 74,186).

Results: After controlling for age, family economic status, and BMI, early timing of spermarche among boys was associated with a higher likelihood of engaging in PA and a lower likelihood of engaging in SB for < 2 hours during weekdays.

Association between high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and renal function in elderly hypertension: a cross-sectional study in Chinese population.

Few studies have yet investigated the possible association between high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and kidney function in elderly patients with primary hypertension. Accordingly, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between HDL-C and kidney function in elderly hypertension. A total of 14,644 elderly hypertensive subjects were enrolled in our cross-sectional study.

Regression of early diabetic macular oedema is associated with prevention of dark adaptation.

Hypothesis: Dark-adapted rods consume oxygen at high rates and light adaptation decreases this oxygen burden and can have therapeutic effects on diabetic macular oedema (DMO).

Methods: Patients with mild non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (DR) and early, untreated non-sight-threatening DMO slept for 6 months wearing masks that illuminated the eyelid of one closed eye by 505 nm light. Exclusion criteria were any concomitant eye disease, DR >ETDRS grade 35, and other systemic diseases.

Hypoxia and oxidative stress in the causation of diabetic retinopathy.

Diabetic retinopathy is associated with hyperglycemia, and there is convincing evidence that oxidative stress (the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS)) measured indirectly in patients, is related to the severity of diabetic complications. Also, reducing such stress by various means, including drugs and reducing hyperglycemia, decreases the rate of development of diabetic retinopathy (DR). It is therefore supposed that oxidative stress causes DR, and the injuries caused by ROS in retinas of diabetic animals (and in human preparations).

Adverse drug reactions: 'six rights' to ensure best practice for children.

In the second of a two-part article on adverse drug reactions Agnes Kanneh describes the six 'rights' of the recipient of a drug. These are: that the right person should receive the right drug, in the right dose, at the right time within the right intervals, via the right route, followed by the right (correct) documentation. The author argues that the observance of these 'rights' by children's nurses ensures the best pharmacotherapeutic practice, thus a robust practical safeguard in adverse drug reactions and threats to the good reputation of the nursing profession.

Data on tap.

Renal PatientView is an innovative online resource for patients who have kidney disease. It enables them to access blood test results and information about their diagnosis and treatment from anywhere in the world.

Computer games to teach hygiene: an evaluation of the e-Bug junior game.

Handwashing, respiratory hygiene and antibiotic resistance remain major public health concerns. In order to facilitate an effective outcome when teaching the basic principles of hand and respiratory hygiene, educational interventions should first target school children. As computer games are ubiquitous in most children's lives, e-Bug developed computer games targeted at teaching children handwashing, respiratory hygiene and antibiotic resistance.

Developing e-Bug web games to teach microbiology.

As a complement to the e-Bug teaching pack, two e-Bug games were developed to provide content that aimed to entertain as well as to educate. A set of agreed learning outcomes (LOs) were provided by the scientific partners of the e-Bug Project and the games were developed using user-centred design techniques (the needs, wants and limitations of the potential game players were assessed at each stage of the design process). The e-Bug games were designed for two age groups: Junior (9-12 year olds); and Senior (13-15 year olds).

Adverse drug reactions: causes, types, pathways and mechanisms.

An adverse drug reaction is defined as an appreciably harmful or unpleasant reaction resulting from an intervention related to having received medication. This article describes adverse drug reactions in children and young people, their causes, types, pathways and mechanisms. Part two, to be published in June, will address the rights of those who are offered and receive prescribed drugs.

Web-based video and feedback in the teaching of cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Knowledge and skills relating to cardiopulmonary resuscitation tend to be lost over time. The combination of simulation sessions with online video records and online feedback allows for an enduring record of skills sessions to assist students in retaining and revising their learning. This paper reports a qualitative evaluation of such a combination used in inter-disciplinary sessions for volunteer nursing and medical students.

Reflection on life experience as an aid to deeper learning.

This article examines the rationale for a four-week life experience placement for nursing students developed at the school of community and health sciences at London's City University. The authors describe how students' perceptions of old age have been challenged by listening to someone's life history and observing older people in groups and in the community. Student Daniel Fitzpatrick reflects on his experience of undertaking the placement in relation to his own feelings and expectations of old age.

Levers and barriers to patient-centred care with children: findings from a synthesis of studies of the experiences of children living with type 1 diabetes or asthma.

Background: The last 50 years have seen a sea change in approaches to health care with children, from a time when children were routinely separated from parents while in hospital, to current recognition of the importance of placing the experiences of children and their families at the heart of care. Yet, there is a gap in the evidence about how children's involvement might be best achieved.This study aimed to synthesize findings of children's experiences of long-term illness and, from this, to identify levers and barriers to patient-centred care with children.

Learning by gaming - evaluation of an online game for children.

Playing computer games is widely popular among children and teenagers as an entertainment activity; meanwhile, playing computer games also provides a learning opportunity. For example, the rules of the game have to be learned by the player in order to improve his/her performance. Based on that principle, the City eHealth Research Centre (CeRC) developed a web game for 13-15 year olds, whereby the player becomes an investigator who attends the scene of an incident that involves microbes.

The relationship between substance use and exit security on psychiatric wards.

Aim: In this paper we report on the rates of drug/alcohol use on acute psychiatric wards in relation to levels and intensity of exit security measures.

Background: Many inpatient wards have become permanently locked, with staff concerned about the risk of patients leaving the ward and harming themselves or others, and of people bringing illicit substances into the therapeutic environment.

Methods: In 2004/2005, a cross sectional survey on 136 acute psychiatric wards across three areas of England was undertaken.

Preventing falls and fall-related injuries in hospitals.

Falls are a widespread concern in hospitals settings, with whole hospital rates of between 3 and 5 falls per 1000 bed-days representing around a million inpatient falls occurring in the United States each year. Between 1% and 3% of falls in hospitals result in fracture, but even minor injuries can cause distress and delay rehabilitation. Risk factors most consistently found in the inpatient population include a history of falling, muscle weakness, agitation and confusion, urinary incontinence or frequency, sedative medication, and postural hypotension.

Unscheduled care: learning from video-recorded consultations.

One aspect of the implementation of patient-centred care is the improvement of consultations between service users and practitioners, and this can be done through 'communicative action'. This article explains how observing video recordings of consultations in a walk-in centre can help service users and practitioners better understand each other's conversations and interactions.

Interventions to improve hand hygiene compliance in patient care.

Background: Health care-associated infection is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Hand hygiene is regarded as an effective preventive measure.

Objectives: To update the review done in 2007, to assess the short and longer-term success of strategies to improve hand hygiene compliance and to determine whether a sustained increase in hand hygiene compliance can reduce rates of health care-associated infection.

Sexual health of ethnic minority MSM in Britain (MESH project): design and methods.

Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) remain the group most at risk of acquiring HIV infection in Britain. HIV prevalence appears to vary widely between MSM from different ethnic minority groups in this country for reasons that are not fully understood. The aim of the MESH project was to examine in detail the sexual health of ethnic minority MSM living in Britain.